This invention relates to unwinding apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for unwinding substantially round coils of strip material. Even more particularly, this invention relates to such apparatus wherein the material to be unwound is relatively heavy, i.e., weighing in excess of 2,000 pounds.
Prior devices for unwinding heavy coils of the nature described have usually required manual participation by several operators to assure proper positioning and alignment of the coil during the unwinding sequence. This requirement in turn presented a hazardous condition to said operators, particularly when considering the weights and sizes of the materials being processed. Those devices which were more automated and therefore not as requiring of manual participation were most usually of substantial size as well as relatively complex to operate. Further, these devices were well known for requiring extensive maintenance to assure continuous successful operation.
It is believed therefore that an apparatus for unwinding relatively heavy coil material which is not large in size or substantially complex in operation would constitute an advancement in the art.